Electrical clip



Patented June Z9, 1948 UNITED `STATESrri'rifxiyr OFFICE i I 2,444,229 I ELEo'rnIALL our Heralds. Johnson, Aitadena, Calif. Application catcher 119, 1945, serial No. `623,311

. l This invention relates to an improved springactuated terminal clip by means `of which electrical contact may be releasably made to termi-L nais, wires, batteries, etc.

Various types of spring-actuated terminal clips have been devised heretofore but most of these clips have several disadvantages. For example, the methodof attaching a cable tothe clip is either complicated and Itimeconsuming or of such an ,imperfect character that the clip becomes readily detached from the cablev and causes an; noyance. Moreover, prior clips did not conduct current from the jaws to the cable in a Yuniform manner and often introduced unnecessary resist-- ance into thecircuit.l Other forrnsyof clips were bulky and lcould not be attached to terminals located between closely adjacent pieces of equipment, such as radio tubes, etc. f I The present invention distinguishes from prior clips in that the clip is simple, composed of a minimum number of parts, permits electrical currents to now from the jaws to the terminal withoutfintroducing unnecessary resistance, andis provided with means for positively and simply locking and holding a cable or terminal in good electrical contact with the clip. Moreover, the clipis strongand the jaw elements may be of any desired length so thatthe clip may be readily attached to terminals located in normally inaceessible places,

Generally stated, the terminal clip of the present invention comprises an inner element and an outerelement, each of .channel section, the body portions of these two elements being nestedL and pivotally connected together. `Suitable presser faces are carried by the two elements between the pivotal point of connection and the jaws so that the jaws may be readilyand easily manipulated. A rearward extension or one of the elements, preferably the inner element, may` be .provided with a clamping lever cooperating withY guiding means for guiding aterminal into the'cllip and into operative engagement with the clamp.l Anobje-ct of the invention, therefore, is to dis# close and provide a simple, inexpensive and strong terminal clip. 'A further object of the invention is `to provide a terminal clip including a pivotally mounted clamp bar for lassuring positive connection between the clip and a cable terminal.y

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a' terminal clip including a'clamp bar, the jaws of the clip and the clampbar beingsimultaneously urged into normally closedposition by a single spring.

4 Clams. (Cl. 173-273) These and other objects of the inventionwill become apparent to `those skilled in the art from the following 'description of one exemplaryform illustrated in the appended drawings,A in which: l

Fig. l is a side elevation of a terminal clip `em-4 bodying the present invention. l

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. ,Y t

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken alongthe plane III- III of Fig. 1. f i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe clamp "bari F Figs. 5 and 6 are end views showing alternative jaw arrangements.

In the form of deviceillustrated in the draw#I ings the terminal clip is composed of an outer element I and aninner element 2. Both these elements may be of channel section, as best shown in Fig. 3. The outer element I, for example, may be composed of a web 3 and side walls 4 and 5. The inner element 2 may be' similarly provided with a web and side walls but sufjliciently narrower so as to slidably t within the outer element `I and slidably contact with the inner surfaces of the walls 4' and 5. The inner element 2 is preferably in an inverted position with respect to the outer element. j

Each of these elements I and 2 maybe said to consist of a body portion and aformed jaw portion. The jaw of the outer element is indicated at 6 and that ofthe inner element atl. The edges of the side walls of the jaws may be serrated and they may either interlock, as shown in Fig. 6, or the side walls of the jaws of theinner element 2 may be bent outwardly so as to present cooperating and opposing edges to the marginal edges of the jaw 6, as best shown inFig. 5.`

The body portion Bof the outer elementm'ay be pivotally connected to the body portion 9 of thejinner element 2 as by means of apivot pin or rivet l0 (see Fig. 3). 'j

`A port is preferably formed in the web of each element between its jaw and body portion. For example, a port Il may be formed in `the outer element I and the sidewalls of the inner ele-` ment may be caused to extend through such port I I, the extended side walls being then provided with a lateral presser face. The presser face may be either iattached to the side walls or the outer edge portions' of the extended side walls I2 may be inwardly turned as at I2' and I2` (see Fig. 3) to form a presser face, generally 4indicated at I3. f'

A portion of the web of the inner member-2 may be removed so as to form a port III` and "a lateral presser face 'I5 may be carried bythe side Walls of the outer element I above theportfId in the web of the inner element 2. The presser face I5 may also be made by inturning the side walls of the outer element, such inturned side walls abutting along the longitudinal line IB, as shown in Fig. 3.

A single spring I! may be wound around the pivot pin ID, the ends of such spring bearing against the inner surfaces of presser faces I3 vand I5, thereby normally urging the jaws 6 and I into closed position.

In the illustrative form, one end of the spring I'I cooperates with the outer element l and bears against the presser face I5, whereas the lother end of the spring is bent as indicated at IB and bears against a clamp bar I9 pivotally carried by a rearward extension of vthe inner element 2. The clamp bar I9 is shown in detail in Fig. 4 and may include a downwardly extending pivot pin 20 and a lever handle ZI. One of the side walls of the inner element 2 may be folded inwardly to form a transverse partition 22 at the rear of the device. A port or opening 23 is formed in such partition, such port being adapted to loosely receive the tip or pivot pin-20 of the clamp bar I9. The protruding tip may be bent, as shown in Fig. l, so as to prevent the clamp bar from becomingloose and falling out accidentally. The clamp bar I@ is movable between the side walls of the inner element 2 but is normally urged upwardly by means of the rearwardly extending end portion I8 of the spring I1. The upper edge 24 of the clamp bar I9 is relatively sharp and bears `against the inner surface of the web of the inner element 2. A port or slot 25 is formed in one of the side walls of the inner element 2 so that the handle 2l extends exteriorly of the inner element (see Fig. 2).

Means are provided for guiding a terminal into operative engagement with the clamp bar I9, such means comprising a` rearwardly extending opening 2! in the inner velement 2 and a U-shaped element having downwardly extending wings 2B and 29 between which a terminal or cable may be inserted. Means are provided for moving the clamp bar to open the same so as to receive (or liber-ate) --a terminal, such means comprising the handle 2| operating through the port 25.

In order to make certain that` the upper edge 24 of the clamp bar firmly holds the end of the cable in electrical contact with the inner element 2, the web of the inner element 2 may be slitted or deformed along a transverse out 3l) immediately above the point where the upper edge of the clamp bar I9 contacts the inner surface of such web. Pressure applied lby spring Il through the clamp bar against -a terminal extending between the edge 24 andthe inner surface of the web of the inner element 2 will deform the terminal or cable by reason of the slit and indentation formed and thereby rmly hold the cable in position. The wings 28 and 29 may also be clamped around the cable.

It will be noted that thorough electrical contact exists between outer element I and inner element 2 inasmuch as the side walls of these two elements are in sliding contact with each other. Electrical current passing through the clip is therefore not impeded `and need not pass through the spring Il. By reason of the channel form of the elements l and 2, the device is 'ex tremely strong and rugged. It will be noted that the clamp bar I9 is inclined forwardly so that tension applied to any terminal held by the clamp bar is lthoroughly resisted.y

Although a specic form of device has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and modications may be made not only in proportions but also in details of construction, without departing from the inventive thought herein disclosed. All changes coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An electrical terminal clip comprising: an inner element and an outer element, each of channel section and including a web and virtually parallel side walls, each element having a jaw portion and a body portion, the body portion of the inner element extending between the side walls of the outer element in inverted position; means pivotally connecting the body portion; a port formed in the web of each element between the jaw and the body portion thereof; ak lateral presser face carried by the outer element above the port in the web of the inner element, said presser face comprising inwardly .extending and abutting extensions of side walls of the outer element; a lateral presser face carried by the inner element and extending through the port in the web of the outer element, said `lateral presser face comprising inwardly extending and abutting extensions of side walls of the inner element; and spring means within the inner element extending through the port in the web of the inner element so asto bear against the inner surface of the .presser face of the .outer element to normally urge the jaws into engagement.

2. An electrical terminal clip comprising: an inner element and an outer element, each of channel section and including a web and virtually parallel side wa1ls,each element having a body portion and a jaw portion; a port formed in the web of each element between the jaw and body portion thereof; extending `side wall sections in each element, the body portion of the inner element extending between the side walls of the outer element in inverted position, with the extending side walls of the interior element passing through the port in the web of the outer element; means pivotally connecting the body portions; a lateral presser face carried by the extending side wall section of the outer element above the port of the inner element; a lateral presser face carried by the extending side Wall section of the inner element; and spring means within the inner element extending through the port in the web of the inner element so as to bear against the inner surface of the presser face of the outer element to normally urge the jaws into engagement.

3. An electrical terminal clip comprising: an inner element and an outer element, each of channel section and including a web and virtually parallel side walls, each element having a jaw. portion and a body portion, the body portion of the inner element extending between the side walls of the outer element in inverted position; means pivotally connecting the body portions; a 'port formed in the web of each element between the jaw and the body portion thereof; a presser face carried by the outer element above the .port in the web of the inner element; a presser Yface carried by the inner element and extending `through the port in the web of the outer element, the body portion of the inner ele ment extending rearwardly and including a pivotally mounted clamp bar within said body of said inner element; an actuating handle carried by the clamp bar extending laterally through a port in one side wallL of the body portion of `said inner element; and a spring within the body portion bearing against the clamp bar and extending through the port in the Web in the inner element so as to bear against the inner surface of the presser face carried by the outer element, whereby to simultaneously urge the jaws of the elements into engagement and pivot the clamp bar into pressure contact with the inner surface of the body portion of the inner element.

4. An electrical terminal clip comprising: an inner element and an outer element, each of channel section and including a web and Virtually parallel side walls, each element having a jaw portion and a body portion, the body portion of the inner element extending between the side walls of the outer element in inverted position; means pivotally connecting the body portions; a port formed in the web of each element between the jaw and the body portion thereof; a transverse pin pivotally connecting the body portions; a presser face carried by the outer element above the port in the web of the inner element; a presser face carried by the inner element and extending through the port in the web of the outer element, the body portion of the inner element extending rearwardly beyond the other element and including a pivotally mounted clamp bar 6 within the body portion of said inner element; an actuating handle carried by the clamp bar extending laterally through a port in one side wall of the body portion of said inner element; a spring within the body portion bearing against the clamp bar and extending through the port in the web in the inner element so as to bear against the inner surface of the presser face carried by the outer element, whereby to simultaneously urge the jaws of the elements into engagement and pivot the clamp bar into pressure contact with the inner surface of the body portion of the inner element; and means for guiding a terminal between the end of the clamp bar and the inner surface of the body portion of the inner element.

HAROLD S. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED Seghers July 1, 1930 Mueller et al Apr. 30, 1935 Number 

